That moment would have been a good time for the Bush administration to consider the results American and Western policy toward Russia but the administration, engrossed with Iraq, was content to continue to leave policy on autopilot, following the the lead of the EU and of the State Department experts who were running relations into the ground. In a nutshell, we have managed a trifecta of appearing to Moscow to be at once meddlesome and overbearing, ineffectual (in the face of Russian bullying of its "near abroad" neighbors) and uninterested in any kind of strategic partnership with Russia. This is not a recipe for diplomatic success.

In fairness to the Bush administration, our poor foreign policy record in regard to post-Soviet Russia stretches back through Clinton-Gore to the last years of Bush I. where Richard Nixonwas virtually tearing his hair out in frustration. Moreover, American policy can only effect Russia on the margin. The locus of choice lies with Putin and his siloviki circle who have opted for creeping authoritarianism; but the U.S. might have made it a good deal easier for them to choose to move forward rather than to turn the clock back.

A few articles across the spectrum that are worth your time to read if you are interested in Russian-American affairs:

in "Nixon off the record" by Monica Crowley of all people, Nixon advised Clinton heavily to provide more assistance to post communist russia. Clinton agreed and did so. great book and that was clearly one of nixons biggest concerns. his relationship with clinton was much better than his relationship with bush one or reagan.

It was a good book - a career launching endeavor for Crowley, something no doubt Nixon intended when he extensively mentored her.

Agree with you on the Nixon-Clinton relationship. Nixon gave Clinton very good advice.

Unfortunately, Clinton also took advice regarding Russia from Strobe Talbott and Al Gore. A close friend of mine was in Moscow at the time and had the opportunity to observe Talbott in action with Russian officials and as he relates the story, it was not an adept performance.

Gore's advice was a mixed bag. It would appear that his personal relationship with Chernomyrdin tended to cause that administration to turn an overly blind eye to the excesses of looting and other oligarchal antics going on in Russia.

Stronger efforts should have been put forth to encourage the Russians not to follow policies that were causing the economy to implode like a black hole because that is what destroyed support for democracy in Russia